Engineers Drop Close Game to Harvard, 10-9

Senior Andrew Dorne

Nov 23, 2013

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - On the second day of the CWPA Championships at Brown University, the MIT water polo team fell to fellow Cambridge rival Harvard University by a score of 8-6. Yesterday, the Engineers defeated Mercyhurst, 10-9, before falling to the United States Naval Academy, 19-11.

Freshman Zach Churukian (Menlo Park, Calif.) had another strong day in the water, scoring two goals and adding five steals. He was named Player of the Game yesterday following his four goals and five steals against Mercyhurst. Although he did not score any goals, senior Craig Cheney (Sherwood, Ore.) played well, with his three ejections drawn, two steals and seven shots. Freshman keeper Nolan Kruse (Orcutt, Calif.) had nine blocks and one rebound, while allowing 10 goals.

In the low-scoring game, the Cardinal and Gray and the Crimson were tied at two heading into the second quarter after a goal by Churukian and sophomore Ory Tasman (Orlando, Calif.). Following five blocks by Kruse, just one goal by Harvard, and one goal apiece by Churukian, senior Andrew Dorne (Irvine, Calif.) and sophomore Matthew Orton (Los Altos Hills, Calif.), MIT took a 5-3 lead in the second period.

After a strong first half, the Engineers ran into a bit of trouble in the remaining periods, scoring just three more goals throughout the game. Tech took eight shots in the third quarter, but none of them made it past the goalkeeper. After allowing two more goals, the game went into the final eight minute period with the score locked at five.

Harvard scored three goals to take an 8-5 lead and, although the Engineers took five shots and had two steals, they were not able to score another goal until there were just 45 seconds left on the clock when Tasman scored Tech's sixth and final goal, with the game ending soon after.

MIT's final game of the season will occur tomorrow, Nov. 24, when it battles for seventh place at the Championships with George Washington University at 11:40 a.m.